Blight
by malcolm lake
Summary: Dark Season 2 AU. Xander looks back on the event that changed his life, and the tragic aftermath. Character death. With Buffy, Cordelia, Jenny, Joyce, Angel, Spike, Dru, and Tara.
1. Chapter 1

Blight

_Major dark AU, starting at season 2. Xander looks back on the event that changed his life, and the tragic aftermath. Character death. Disclaimer: These aren't my characters. I don't own anything. Thoughts and author notes are distinguished from speech by the use of italics. This may be too sad to be a long-term story. Let me know what you think_ - ml

September 2000

Xander Harris stood on the Appalachian Trail, looking out over the Blue Ridge Mountains into North Carolina. _"Mountains,"_ he laughed to himself. As a California boy, he was used to more spectacular vistas. He walked a short distance from the trail and sat on the ridge as he waited for his climbing partner to arrive.

He pulled out his guidebook and read about the area. Until the first part of the 20th Century, the area was home to a great forest of American Chestnut trees. These tall, massive trees were the redwoods of the east coast. They provided food for animals ranging from bears to squirrels. The trees were the basis of America's furniture trade.

Then chestnut blight was accidentally imported from China. The disease was first noticed trees around the Bronx Zoo in 1904. The North American Chestnut had no resistance to the disease. Adult trees were killed, and saplings grew to be short, twisted caricatures. By 1950, the entire ecosystem had collapsed. According to the guidebook the east coast forests were still trying to recover.

As Xander read the guidebook, he felt the text could be applied to him as well. And he could readily trace the cause of the blight that ended his life as he knew it. It happened the second day of his junior year in high school.

His memory spun back. Buffy had just come back from LA. She had returned with a major attitude problem; blowing off Willow and him; insulting Giles, her Watcher; fighting with Angel; and threatening Cordelia. She found out that a group of vampires had been trying to bring back the Master; revive the ancient vampire who had briefly killed her.

"_I brought her back,"_ Xander recalled. _"I brought her back by performing CPR and how did she repay me? First she was a major bitca, followed by the lap dance of humiliation, then she told us to back off while she dealt with the vampires. That was when everything went wrong…"_

September 1998

Xander, Buffy, and Angel were on their way to the warehouse where the vampires were performing the ceremony. The Anointed One, the powerful vampire in a child's body had sent a brunette vampiress to distract Buffy while he abducted Willow and Giles. It had taken precious time for Buffy to persuade, or more accurately torture, the information on the gang's lair from the now dusted vampire.

Angel and Buffy ran all the way to the warehouse. Xander, with his more human limitations, managed to keep up. Nearly winded, he asked, "How are we going to get them out?"

Angel replied. "Buffy, if you can distract the vampires, Xander and I will free the others." Buffy nodded.

"How are you going to distract them?" Xander asked.

Buffy said, "I'm going to kill them all."

They entered the warehouse and Xander's heart stopped. Willow and the others were suspended from a line over the Master's skeleton. Several vampires were around the skeleton and a huge, bald demon was chanting in an ancient tongue while holding a short sword. Beside him stood the childlike form of the Anointed One.

As the bald vampire finished speaking, he plunged the blade into Willow, whose blood spilled out, dripping on the ancient vampire's skeleton. The redhead made a gurgling scream and fell silent again.

Angel, acting quickly, managed to reach the line that held the suspended bodies and pulled them away from the assembled vampires. Xander ran up the ladder to reach Willow, heedless of the chaos around him.

Buffy, blinking the tears from her eyes as she fought quickly ran through the minions, aided by Angel. The fight was quick and brutal. Buffy destroyed the Anointed One and Angel finished the vampire who had stabbed Willow.

The two warriors ran up the stairs to their allies. Giles and Ms. Calendar were regaining consciousness, while Cordelia was still under the influence of the drug that had been fed to them. But the eyes of Buffy and Angel were fixed on the other two occupants of the area. Xander was holding Willow's bloody, lifeless form. Her eyes were open and vacant.

Xander was covered with her blood. His eyes were closed as he gently rocked the small body of his oldest friend. Over and over he whispered, "Please don't leave me. You can't leave me."

Buffy had been too late. It had taken too long to get the information on the Master's whereabouts. She had failed her best friend. And she couldn't face Xander. She descended the ladder, torn between despair and rage. She saw the gleaming white skeleton of the Master, splattered with Willow's blood. She saw a sledgehammer on the floor. She picked it up and assaulted the skeleton with mindless rage.

Angel helped Giles, and Ms. Calendar down the ladder. He ascended again, but he didn't know what to do with Willow and Xander. Xander distrusted the vampire at the best of times, how would he react if Angel tried to take Willow's body from him? The souled vampire didn't want to hurt the boy any more.

Cordelia was beginning to wake up. The first thing she saw as Xander and Willow. She couldn't believe her eyes. This couldn't be happening!

From the age of five, it had been Willow and Xander against Cordelia. For years, they had been defined by their relationship with each other. They had fought, but always within carefully regulated limits. On occasion, Cordelia or Xander had overstepped those boundaries. They had always pulled back; made sure the injured party was okay. Those were the rules of the game.

Now Willow was gone. There was nothing Cordelia could do to change that. And she didn't think there would be anything anyone could do to help Xander. Seeing his grief made her wonder if anyone would be so distraught if something happened to her.

She looked at Angel, who she only knew as the older boy who had the bad taste to hang around Buffy. She knew he couldn't be the one to do what had to be done. Buffy, given the way she had been acting, wouldn't have the nerve to go near Xander. _"No, it has to be me,"_ she thought.

The brunette got up and walked unsteadily to Xander's side. She gently touched his shoulder and said, "Xander, we have to go."

Xander's eyes opened and he looked at Cordelia, utterly lost. "I can't leave her," he said.

"We won't. But you know we can't stay here. We have to take her…" She was about to say, "to the hospital," but she couldn't. They both knew that no doctor could help Willow. They needed to be honest with each other. "Her parents deserve to know." She reached over and closed the redhead's eyes. "I'm sorry."

For a second, Cordelia was afraid that Xander would mock her. What he did instead was even worse. He put his head on her shoulder and started to cry.

Cordelia managed to move Xander's hands from Willow and helped Angel take her lifeless form. She led Xander to the ladder, and Giles made sure both the teens made it down safely. Xander seemed to scarcely notice anything around him.

Cordelia led Xander as they walked with Giles and Ms. Calendar. The Watcher carried Willow's body. They went to Giles' house and made the necessary 911 call. The police were told about a gang attack. Xander and Willow had been walking home from the Bronze and they were ambushed by a group of teenagers. Giles did all of the talking. He was used to it.

Buffy had fled with Angel. Once Buffy had climbed into the window of her room, she began to wail. It woke up her mother. The older blonde asked, "What's wrong, honey?"

"I-I just got a call," Buffy stammered. "Willow was…there was a gang… She and Xander…Willow's dead."

"Oh my god," Buffy's mom said as she drew her daughter into her arms. Losing Buffy had always been one of Joyce's fears.

Buffy found no comfort in her mother's embrace. She didn't deserve it. _"All of this is my fault,"_ she thought.

Joyce Summers said, "Do you want to go over to see the Rosenbergs?"

Buffy shook her head and began to cry even harder. She couldn't lie anymore. She told her mother everything, bending a metal bar to demonstrate her strength. She told her mom about Merrick and what had happened in LA, how she had fought the Master and died, and how she had just gotten one of her best friends killed and wrecked the life of the other one. "Xander brought me back to life after I fought the Master last year. The day I met him, I let them take his other best friend, Jesse. Now I let them kill Willow."

Joyce didn't fully believe everything Buffy had told her, but it did seem to answer a number of questions she had over the years. "But Buffy, if everything happened as you said, it wasn't your fault. You were just too late. You didn't try to hurt them."

"Yes I did," Buffy said, tearfully. "When I got back, I went out on patrol and saw Xander and Willow. They were sitting on a stone wall, playing. Xander had taken his ice cream cone and touched it to the tip of Willow's nose. Then the playing became something else, and they almost kissed before a vampire attacked them. They were so close to what Willow had always dreamed about."

"The next night at the Bronze, I asked Xander to dance. I rubbed against him in front of Willow; did everything I could to drive him crazy. I asked him if I ever thanked him for saving my life. When he said 'no,' I told him, 'Don't you wish I would?' and left him on the dance floor. I smiled as I walked by Willow. I'd shown her that I could take away what she wanted any time I felt like it. Then, the last time I saw Willow I told her and Xander that I couldn't patrol with them anymore, that they were useless civilians."

"Buffy, you may have acted badly but they knew that you loved them Now you'll need to be there for Xander and Willow's family," Joyce said.

"The Rosenberg's don't know me," Buffy said. "Her mom always calls me 'Bunny.' And Xander… When I found him unconscious after the vampires had taken Willow and Giles, he told me that if they hurt Willow, he'd kill me. And he'd have a reason to."

"He was upset," Joyce said. "He didn't mean it."

"You didn't see how he looked at me," Buffy replied.

Joyce decided not to press the issue.

-------------------

Willow's funeral was the next evening. Buffy couldn't believe that her best friend was in that simple, wooden box. Xander sat behind the Rosenbergs and was silent throughout the ceremony. Buffy was surprised to see Cordelia was beside Xander. Buffy and her mom sat with Giles and Ms. Calendar.

Willow was buried in Sunnydale's Jewish cemetery. Buffy spoke briefly with Willow's parents. Shelia Rosenberg said that Willow was always talking about "Bunny Summers," and that she had been a good friend to her. Buffy hoped that was true.

Cordelia stayed near Xander. She knew that he would regret making a scene; Willow was too important to him for anything to be done badly. And knowing the proper way to do things was something Cordelia understood regardless of the situation.

Cordelia guided Xander through the mourners, whispering comforting words when he seemed close to tears, filling in the blanks as he spoke to the Rabbi. She told Xander about the burial traditions as they stood near the grave.

After the ceremony, Ms. Calendar walked up to Xander and Cordelia. Both teenagers gave the computer teacher a hug. Giles shook Xander's hand and told him how much he regretted his loss.

Buffy and her mom approached Xander, but Cordelia gently pulled Xander away. She shook her head to the Slayer with a sad frown. Buffy understood that Cordelia wasn't trying to hurt her, she just knew Xander couldn't face the blonde girl, not yet.

-------------------

That night, Buffy and Angel were waiting for a vampire to awaken. Angel was letting the blonde girl talk about the ceremony. Hearing about funerals always made Angel feel guilty- having been the cause of so many during his soulless days.

"I gotta hand it to Cordelia, though," Buffy said. "I mean, I've seen her and Xander go at it, but she was beside him the whole time. If she hadn't been there, I don't think he could have gotten through it."

"They've known each other as long as Xander's known Willow," Angel said. "They have a bond, even if they don't want to admit it. I have to say though, I'm impressed. Not many girls her age would be able to help someone like that."

"Her age?" Buffy asked. "I'm her age. What's that supposed to mean?"

Angel fixed her with a merciless stare. "I mean, there aren't a lot of girls, or boys for that matter who don't think the world revolves around them when they're teenagers. I know I did."

Buffy had to agree. After all, her attitude when she returned from LA had proven Angel's point. "Okay, look I'm not here to fight." With that, the vampire they had been waiting for climbed out of his grave. "Oh yeah, I am."

The battle was mercifully brief, ending with the staking of the newly fledged vampire. As they got ready to leave the cemetery, they saw another empty grave. However, they could tell that the body had been taken out.

"What kind of sick freak robs graves?" Buffy asked. She read the name on the tombstone and saw that the missing body belonged to young girl. "She was almost Willow's age…" She stopped at the thought and looked at Angel.

"We better check on her," he agreed.

-------------------

Xander knew that Willow had been stabbed, not bitten. Intellectually, he knew that there was no way Willow would be rising from the grave as a vampire. He also knew that it was extremely foolish to be alone in a Sunnydale cemetery after dark. However, he couldn't leave Willow alone. Not when there was even the slightest chance.

-------------------

As he approached the grave, Xander saw two of his Sunnydale high classmates, Eric and Chris. They were carrying shovels and talking, unaware of Xander's presence.

"Can't you see how lucky we were," Eric said. "She's Jewish. That means no embalming, no autopsy, nothing. The only way we could get something fresher was to kill her ourselves."

Chris nodded. "I know. Let's just get this over with."

They opened the casket and pulled out Willow's body. That was the last thing Xander remembered before the world turned red.

As Buffy and Angel reached the graveyard, they heard the screams. By the time they reached Willow's grave, Eric was already dead. Chris was frantically trying to drag his broken body away from Xander as he pummeled Eric's body.

_That's all for now. As I said, this one is really dark. I'm not sure how far to take it_ - ml


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The Xander Harris had flown into a rage when he saw two guys opening the coffin that contained the body of his best friend, Willow Rosenberg. He didn't know that the teens were going to use her brain as part of a creature they were creating. All he knew was that they had defiled all that remained of the most important person in his life.

Angel, a vampire with a strength borne from two hundred years of survival had been hard pressed to remove the teen from the broken body of one of the grave robbers. Buffy had finally had to knock Xander out to keep him from hurting himself in his struggles.

Chris refused to tell anyone why he had attempted to remove Willow's body from her grave. A suspicious fire in a school lab was attributed to his supposed accomplices. He transferred to another school and spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

Xander became catatonic when he regained consciousness at the hospital. His eyes stared straight ahead, unfocussed. Giles, Cordelia, Jenny Calendar, and Joyce joined Buffy in the waiting room the next evening.

"We're sorry, but there's been no change in Alex's condition," the attending physician said. No one bothered to correct him. They weren't sure that the patient was Xander anymore. "Visiting hours will be ending soon. He really won't even know you're in the room." With that, the doctor left.

"What's going to happen to him?" Buffy asked.

"I'm not sure," Giles said. "If he remains in this condition, I'll make sure that he's sent to a proper mental facility. There are funds I can access from the Watcher's Council. If there's any chance that he can recover…"

"But there isn't, is there?" Cordelia asked.

"I don't know," Giles admitted. "You have all proven so resilient that I hesitate to rule anything out. There are cases where Watchers and Slayers have recovered from conditions such as this. Unfortunately there have been more where the patient never regained sentience."

Cordelia looked at her day planner and gave a bitter laugh. "I have cheerleader practice tomorrow. I have cheerleader practice and I feel, like, a million years old. It just seems so pointless…"

Jenny moved over to the brunette teen. "Hey, come on. What do you say that we get some ice cream or something?"

"Rocky Road?" Cordelia asked in a small voice.

"Whatever you want," Jenny agreed. "Guaranteed to take at least a thousand years off you." She put her arm around Cordelia. "Anyone else coming?"

"No," Buffy answered. "I need to patrol. Angel is meeting me later."

Jenny gave a worried nod. Her tribe had sent her to Sunnydale to make sure that the vampire Angelus was still suffering. His relationship with the Blonde Slayer was troubling.

-------------------

Angel noted the sad look on Buffy's face when they met at the cemetery. "Hey, how are you holding up?"

"Better than some people," Buffy said, simply.

"You've got to start beating yourself up over this," Angel said.

"I'm the reason Willow's dead and Xander's in the hospital."

"No, vampires killed Willow and two creeps robbing graves pushed Xander over the edge," Angel insisted. "You made a mistake, just like everyone does. But you aren't the one who caused all this to happen. It's important to remember the difference."

"Thanks," Buffy said, quietly. "That helps, a little."

"Look, I know you're hurting now," Angels gently replied. "But you're still the Chosen One. If you come out here and aren't completely focused, you will die, and so will other people. I think, maybe you should go home. I'll patrol."

"It's not your job," Buffy answered, "like you just said, it's mine." She took a deep breath. "Let's do this."

-------------------

A week later, Xander Harris was transferred to the Douglas Oswald Thomas Center, a private mental hospital in Sunnydale. Giles visited the next day, stating that he was from the school and had been sent to ensure that Mr. Harris was unable to continue with his studies. Principal Snyder had been insistent that without a formal doctor's signature he would simply list Xander as a drop out.

Giles was greeted by a tall, condescending doctor who took him on a tour of the facility. "Yes, Mr., Giles is it? Interesting name. I remember a Giles at a conference I went to in Aruba last fall. He wasn't English, though…" When Giles didn't ask him about his trip, the doctor continued.

"I'm Doctor Joseph, and I'll be personally in charge of Mr. Harris' care. As you can see, this is a state of the art facility. We have this ward for those patients who are considered to be transitioning back into normal society." He waved his arm to indicate the people in the ward. The doctor managed to ignore a nurse and a couple of patients as they approached a heavy, metal door.

The two men passed through other areas of the hospital. The doctor kept pointing out what he considered to be interesting items about the facility, but Giles remained silent.

"We call this area, 'the garden' because it's where we keep the vegetables."

Giles tried very hard not to strike the arrogant doctor. "The nice thing is that they're really very little trouble. Not like the teens you have to take care of." He gave a chuckle as Giles clenched his fists.

Dr. Joseph indicated a group of young people in a lounge. They were positioned in front of a television. "As you see, we try to use variable stimuli to see if there's anything that gets a response. We don't just keep them in padded rooms." He started indicating patients. "There's the little drummer boy, he's always banging those sticks against something. He goes crazy if we take them away. We've got Jonathan here who mumbles occasionally, and Tara who hasn't said anything since her mom died three months ago. There's Alex beside her. As you can see, he's not faking it." He signed the form Giles had brought.

"You don't say much, do you," the doctor said to Giles as he handed back the form.

"No," Giles said in clipped tones. "I'm the librarian."

"Talk about matching the man to the job," the doctor said. He was used to getting a far more impressed response when he conducted these visits. It was almost enough to make him want to stop wasting his time with the tours.

-------------------

Cordelia Chase parked a block from the private hospital. She had tried for the last several minutes to force herself to get out of the car. Cordelia had a phobia about the mentally ill. She remembered as a small child when she had been forced to visit her great grandmother. The older lady had suffered from Alzheimer's disease for many years. Her rambling speech and sudden mood swings had terrified the youngster. She still had nightmares of her last visit.

Cordelia had been seven years old. Her great grandmother had been sleeping quietly and Cordelia was listening to her mom and grandmother talk. Suddenly, she had been seized by the elbow as her delusional relative called out, "You! She's the one who will bring forth the liar! Kill her now!"

Cordelia had been in tears by the time her mother had managed to free her from the older woman's grip. For years, she had a recurring dream where her great grandmother had held her underwater.

"_I've got to do this_," Cordelia told herself. "_It's almost dark. I don't know how long visiting hours last_." Then she thought about what might happen if Harmony, or one of the other cheerleaders, saw her entering the hospital.

-------------------

Doctor Joseph drank his coffee and indulged in a cigarette in his office. It was against the rules, but it was good to be the king. There was a knock on his door, and an orderly entered.

"What is it Jenkins?" the doctor asked, annoyed.

"We have a visitor," the young man said.

"I've played tour guide once already today," the doctor grumbled. "Besides, visiting hours are over."

"The visitor is a rather stunning brunette," Jenkins mentioned conversationally.

"Oh," the doctor said with a grin. "That's another thing altogether. We can't keep the good lady waiting, now can we?"

"I guess not," the orderly replied. The older man set the schedules. If Dr. Joseph hooked up with the young lady visitor, Jenkins knew he could count on being assigned to the day shift for a month at the very least.

-------------------

"Thank you for letting me see Alex," the tall brunette said. She looked very shaky as she walked with the doctor, so he used his right arm to support her frame.

"I understand the need to visit your loved ones. Is he your brother?"

The brunette shook her head, her eyes almost unfocused. "No, more… like cousins. It's hard… I know what this is like."

"I can see that this is difficult this must be for you," Doctor Joseph said, smoothly. "There's a coffee shop just down the street. It'll only take us a second to get there. I'll help you calm down before your trip home."

"Thank you," the brunette replied.

The doctor drew her close to him as they exited the hospital. "I can't quite place your accent." He touched her bare arm. "You're cold," he mentioned.

"You're not," the brunette said as she turned to him, her eyes glowing and fangs visible. She plunged her teeth into the man's neck. Once he was drained, she used a fingernail to open a cut across her wrist and fed the blood back into the doctor's gasping mouth.

She left the doctor in an outside storage room and stumbled off towards the cemetery.

"There you are!" exclaimed a figure off to her left. "Dru, you had me worried sick!"

"Spike, I had to go," Drusilla replied, "There stars called to me. They told me that balance was needed. I had to answer."

"Dru, you know how ill you are," Spike said gently. "We need to get you back inside. Sunrise is near."

"I'm sorry," She said. "I didn't mean to worry you."

"It's okay," Spike cooed in her ear. "Besides, it may have done you some good. Your cheeks look a little rosier, I think."

_Thanks for reading this section. The next one will be longer and will be a little lighter, eventually. Please let me know what you think_ - ml


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The next morning, Jenny Calendar went to the library to share a cup of coffee with Giles. She knew that Buffy often came in early to go over the previous night's patrol with her Watcher. She wanted to hear how the patrol with Angel had gone. With Willow dead and Xander out of the Scooby gang, Buffy was relying more and more on the souled vampire. Jenny was worried where that could lead. The looks the Slayer and vampire shared were troubling.

Rupert Giles smiled when he saw Jenny. At first he had resisted his attraction to the young computer science teacher. He had trouble taking technopagans seriously. They knew the form of the occult, but not the substance. They might dangle something from a pierced navel, but they had never been suspended between this world and the next, facing their mortality and immortality while under the influence of a demon. He wondered what Jenny would think if she ever knew his full experience in the arts in which she claimed expertise.

Still, she had come in early on a Tuesday morning, and was always there for Buffy and, now strangely enough, Cordelia. Still, both of the young women were struggling. Giles wished he had a more informal relationship with them, but his duties wouldn't allow that. He was already on far too familiar terms with his Slayer.

Buffy told Giles and Jenny about the previous evening's patrol as she ate one of her Watcher's doughnuts. "With the Anointed one gone, the vampires just seemed to be kinda cruising around in groups of one or two. Angel and I dusted every one that we saw."

"That's encouraging," Giles said. "With any luck, it will be some time before a leader emerges."

"Oh great, all Angel and I have to worry about are isolated homicidal demons," Buffy sighed.

The repeated references to the souled vampire were increasingly worrisome to Ms. Calendar. She turned to Rupert, "So, were you able to see Xander yesterday?" she asked.

Buffy's head dropped at the mention of her friend.

Rupert wished Jenny hadn't mentioned Xander. It was still a very painful subject for Buffy. "Yes," Giles replied. "There was no change in his condition."

The library door opened, and a visibly distraught Cordelia entered. She looked at Ms. Calendar and asked, "Can we talk for a minute, outside?"

"What's wrong, Cordelia?" Jenny asked as they passed into the hallway.

"I…I tried to see Xander after class yesterday," Cordelia whispered. "I couldn't do it. I couldn't go in that place."

"I know how hard it is to see someone in Xander's condition. My father had; well, he was taken from us before he died. We spent days waiting for his physical body to pass away. Seeing him like that, I still have nightmares." Jenny looked at the teenager in front of her and added, "Mr. Giles saw Xander yesterday and there's been no change. If you want to, I can go over there with you sometime. And if it gets to be too much, you can call me, anytime, anyplace." She handed the teen her phone number as they reached her classroom.

"Thanks," Cordelia said with one of her rare, unplanned smiles. "I'm glad I can talk to you about… well, you know. This isn't something I can share with Harmony."

"I think it helps me to talk to you, too," the teacher replied. Jenny paused, then decided to ask, "Why do you do it, Cordelia? Why do you spend so much time pretending to be shallow and hanging around girls like Harmony?"

Cordelia looked at the computer science teacher like she was from another planet. "Do you remember what Satan said to God in Paradise Lost?"

"Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven," Jenny said with a smile.

"High school, hell. What's the difference?" Cordelia asked rhetorically as she turned to leave. She stopped and gave the teacher one of her patented stares, "And if you tell anyone I've read Milton, you'll have to deal with me later."

-------------------

After school, Buffy was intercepted by Principal Snyder while she was walking the halls. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?" the short man asked with a sneer.

"Who, me?" Buffy asked. "I was just on my way to the library." She instinctively slouched so she would not tower over Snyder.

"A likely story," Snyder said. "I've been keeping an eye on you, Summers. I know what your type is like."

"I'm pretty sure that you don't," Buffy replied, tired of the principal's boorish behavior.

"Your kind is always cutting class, getting into fights, causing trouble. You need something to do to channel your energy in a more productive fashion."

"I will be sure to mention that to Mr. Giles when I get to the library," Buffy said, coming close to losing her patience.

"I have something else in mind," Snyder said. "You will organize the refreshments for next week's parent/teacher conferences. If you do well, you will continue to be a part of this institution."

"And if you don't like the punch and cookies," Buffy sighed.

"Then you won't have to worry about me any more. Because you won't be attending school here." He handed a clipboard to Buffy. "Here's a list of what you'll need. You can get a friend to help." He turned away from the blonde teen and walked down the hall.

Just before Principal Snyder reached his office door, Buffy's Slayer- enhanced hearing heard the man whisper, "if you can find one."

Buffy went into the ladies room and cried for fifteen minutes. Then she walked outside and saw that Snyder's car was parked two spaces away from a fire hydrant. She pushed the Buick over to the hydrant, praying that the despicable little troll would get a ticket.

-------------------

Dr. Joseph woke up just after dark. He had been left undisturbed in a shed on the hospital grounds, just where Drusilla had left him after feeding on the doctor and siring him. He instantly knew what had happened to him and gloried in the change. Where before he had the appearance of power, now his might would be evident for all to see. He walked out of the shed and easily jumped seven feet to its roof. He laughed as he thought how he needed to thank the strange, beautiful brunette who had given him this gift.

That was when he first felt the hunger. He had been on diets before - had gone out for long runs and come home famished. That was nothing. This new hunger was like another aspect of his personality. Sating the hunger was a biological imperative stronger than he had ever felt before.

He saw Jenkins, the orderly who had told him about the brunette the day before. The young man was outside smoking. Dr. Joseph hurried up to him.

"Hey Doc," Jenkins said. "You didn't come back last night after you left with the brunette."

"No," the doctor said, barely able to curb his blood lust. "We had urgent business to attend to. It was a life and death situation."

"I know what you mean, she was something else." Jenkins said, nudging the doctor in the ribs.

"You have no idea," Dr. Joseph said as he looked over Jenkins, evaluating him as a potential meal.

"Say, Doc, you been working out?" Jenkins asked. "You feel as solid as a rock." The orderly took a drag off his cigarette and let out a thin, grey trail of smoke.

Joseph was pretty sure that the orderly's comments were equal parts brown-nosing and the change caused to his body by the transformation. As hungry as he was, this wasn't what he wanted as the first meal of his unlife. He wanted something pure, something innocent, something… _"Oh, yes,"_ he thought. _"I know just where to find a prime piece of veal."_

Jenkins had finished his cigarette and held the door open for the physician. "After you, Doc."

"Thanks, Jenkins," he said as he entered the building. "I think I'll take a walk to the garden," he said, referring to the ward where the unresponsive patients were housed.

"Sure Doc," Jenkins said. "Tell them to keep it down, will ya?"

"That's an old joke," the doctor said.

"Best kind," Jenkins replied.

Doctor Joseph walked over to the ward. There were only two orderlies on call. It would be easy. There was no question as to where to start. It had to be with the blonde teenager, Tara McClay. He had read her case history. He would bet anything that she was a virgin. She had beautiful skin and her unblinking eyes were clear and calm as the sea. He pretended to look at his charts watched her as she sat in front of the television. He began to salivate.

Tara had been left beside Xander Harris, another catatonic patient. To Xander's left was the patient the staff referred to as the little drummer boy for his habitual use of two old drumsticks. Whenever they were taken away from him, the young man would not stop screaming. The fourth patient in the ward, Jonathan, was making rhythmic noises in time with the music video playing on the screen.

The doctor checked on the teens' 7 pm pills. He switched Jonathan's with another patient's medication. _"That should pep Johnny up a bit,"_ Dr. Joseph smirked.

Dr, Joseph was proven to have understated the case. Pumped with stimulants, the youngster began to run around the room. The two orderlies, not expecting such a commotion, took several minutes to corral the youngster.

"Put him to bed, full restraints," the doctor ordered. He was now left with three unattended, uncommunicative patients.

"Let's see," Dr. Joseph said, knowing no one could hear him. "I could just drain her, but where's the fun in that. No, better to have a little drink and save something for later, don't you think?" he said to the drummer boy.

"So, you have no opinion," how sad. "What about you, Alex? Nothing. My, what a cooperative group you are."

"If I want to keep feeding on her, it's probably best not to bite her on the neck. Besides, that's so clichéd. I know, let's try the inside of her thigh." He pulled up Tara's dress and assumed his true face. "You might feel a little pressure," he said to the girl.

When Xander's unblinking eyes saw the transformation of the doctor, some connection was reestablished in his brain. When the doctor sank between the blonde girl's legs, Xander grabbed a drumstick from the boy beside him and plunged it through the vampire's heart.

The boy whose drumsticks Xander had borrowed began to scream. Xander returned the drumsticks to the boy's hand and the screaming stopped. Xander could tell that he was in some kind of hospital. Beyond that, he had no idea what was going on.

The blonde girl's face was blank, but a tear was working its way down her cheek. As Xander pulled her dress back down, he noticed the blood flowing from two small bite marks on her inner thigh.

The sight of blood brought back images of Willow's blood being spilled and the blood Xander had caused to flow when he came upon the two teens that had defiled his best friend's grave. He heard footsteps approaching and felt his control lapsing. His consciousness retreated. In some way, by leaving voluntarily, he knew it might be possible to come back again.

-------------------

Spike and Drusilla were lying in bed at an abandoned factory. Spike was still worried about his love after her mysterious trip the night before. "You know you aren't well, Dru," he said. "Once I get you back to your old self, we'll go back. And each person who touched you will suffer. They will pray for death. But till then, you need to stay here where it's safe."

"No place is safe for me," Dru said sadly. "The darkness is coming."

"Yeah, but the hellmouth will give you strength," Spike countered.

"It's changing," Drusilla said.

"What do you see, pet?" Spike asked. Drusilla had been broken, mentally, by her Sire before becoming a vampire. It had left her in touch with forces that the blonde vampire couldn't understand, but did respect.

"Destinies shifting. Balance must be restored. There will be a reckoning. Tonight, it begins."

Spike shivered at Dru's words.

"Spike must be strong," Drusilla said, her voice distant. "He will fight the fallen champion for vengeance. There will only be losers in the triangle. The stars will weep for the innocent and the guilty. Inside will become outside and there will only be the old stories to rely on."

Drusilla seemed to return to herself. "Miss Edith needs her tea," she said.

"Bloody Hell," Spike muttered. He shook his head. "It couldn't be that bad, could it?" "Pet!" he called. "I'll bring you back someone for dinner!"

_Next episode, PTA and Halloween Costumes._


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Buffy Summers walked home without going to see Giles, her Watcher. She went up to her room and began crying again.

Joyce Summers, hearing her daughter's distress, knocked on Buffy's door. "What happened, honey?"

"That troll Snyder," Buffy sniffled. "He put me in charge of refreshments for parent/teacher night."

Joyce didn't understand why this was a cause for tears, but waited for her child to continue.

"He told me what I had to do, then he told me that I could get a friend to help. He walked down the hall and muttered, 'if you can find one,' under his breath." The blonde Slayer looked up at her mother. "And he's right, I don't have one. Without Willow and Xander, there's nobody."

"There are lots of people who love you, Buffy," Joyce said.

"I know," Buffy said, calming down a little. "I mean, I have you and Giles, Ms. Calendar, and Angel."

"The mysterious older boy who won't come over for dinner," Joyce noted.

"Getting off topic,' Buffy said.

"That's a topic we'll be getting back to, soon," Joyce said.

"What about Cordelia?" Joyce asked.

"Cordelia?" Buffy said. "I hadn't really thought about her. I mean, she's around the library a lot… And she was really helpful with Xander during Willow's funeral…But she has her crowd, and it's a Buffy-free zone."

"Well, maybe she could just help with the serving," Joyce said. "I'll take care of the sodas and cookies."

"You'd help?" Buffy asked, surprised.

"Buffy, you've been chosen to protect the world from demons. I don't think you need punch detail to teach you responsibility," Joyce said with a laugh.

"Cool. I so should have told you about this whole Slayer thing sooner," Buffy said, smiling at her mom.

"It would have eliminated some confusion," Joyce granted. "Will you talk to Cordelia?"

Buffy nodded her head, "Thanks mom. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go kill things."

"Are you meeting Angel?"

"No, it's a solo night," Buffy sighed.

-------------------

Now that Spike had found a safe place for Drusilla, he decided to introduce himself to the local vampire population. The energy radiating from the hellmouth, the same power he hoped would restore his love to health drew many of the undead demons to Sunnydale. Once he found out more about the power structure in the area, he would be able to take it over.

As the bleached vampire approached the cemetery in the shadows, he saw a male figure passing through the gate. "_He's still shaking the dust off_," Spike thought with disgust. "_Absolutely no class. Might as well see where he's heading_." He followed the newbie to a local club called The Bronze."

Spike watched as the vampire fixed on a target, an older woman who was a more than a few pounds overweight. "_Oh come on_," Spike complained. "_Unlife is too short to eat ugly women_."

Suddenly, a slight, blonde girl attacked the indiscriminate vampire. Spike immediately recognized her as a Slayer. He moved back further into the shadows, intent on watching how this Slayer fought.

It was a performance worth seeing. Buffy's attack was fast, strong, and brutal. She snapped the vampires arm at the elbow, and followed that with a kick that fractured the demon's knee cap. The stunned vampire fell to the ground, and the Slayer took out her stake and dusted the undead creature.

Spike knew he should keep out of sight. Drusilla needed him too much now. But here was a Vampire Slayer. Right in front of him. Just like the two he had already killed. One more, and he would equal Kakistos. He couldn't resist.

Buffy was dusting herself off when she heard a voice say, "Well, then. That was nicely done, Slayer."

She turned and drew her stake.

"Now, now Slayer. I'm just here to pay my respects today. You just had a nasty little tussle. No, I want you at full strength when we dance."

Buffy sensed the power in this vampire. There was something else about him, something familiar. "Who are you?"

The bleached vampire smiled. "They call me Spike. Just so you know; I'll be the one killing you soon."

"I'm guessing humility is not your long suit."

"I've already killed two Slayers. Humble isn't something I try to be. See you soon."

With that, the vampire backed into the shadows. Buffy tried to follow him, but it seemed like he had vanished. Just like Angel could. _"Just like Angel,"_ Buffy thought.

-------------------

Cordelia Chase and Jenny Calendar sat in the teacher's car. They were in the parking lot for the Douglas Oswald Thomas Center, the mental health facility that currently housed Xander Harris. Cordelia was close to hyperventilating.

"I don't think I can do this," the cheerleader said.

Jenny Calender smiled at her student and said softly, "It's okay if you can't. If you want to try, I can help."

"How?" Cordelia asked tearfully.

"I can loan you this," Jenny said as she reached behind her neck and removed a necklace. The simple, silver chain held a single, grey stone. "Put it on," the cheerleader complied.

"Okay, can you feel the energy coming from the stone?" the teacher asked.

Cordelia was silent for a moment, then her eyes grew wide. "Yes, I can feel it."

"Let the energy flow over you, sustain you. Can you feel your heart rate slowing?"

"Yes," Cordelia replied.

"The energy from the stone is flowing through your body. It's relaxing your mind, calming your spirit." Jenny's voice grew softer. "Feel the energy passing down your arms, coming out your fingertips. Feel it flowing down your legs. It's soothing, comforting." Cordelia nodded.

"Cordelia, are you afraid?"

"There's nothing to fear, here," Cordelia answered, quietly.

"Do you want to visit Xander?"

"Yes," Cordelia answered firmly.

"Then let's go," Jenny said with a smile.

As they walked towards the front door of the hospital, Cordelia asked, "You aren't going to make me act like a cat or anything, are you?"

"What?" Jenny asked.

"This whole hypnosis thing, you aren't going to mess with my mind?"

"I don't plan on it," Jenny answered.

"Good," Cordelia said. "And by the way, thanks."

"Any time."

-------------------

After school, Buffy told Giles about her encounter with Spike. "It's weird," Buffy said. "I mean, I've never seen him before, but it was like I knew him. He said he's killed Slayers before, maybe that's it."

"You need to stay away from Spike, he's dangerous." Angel said, stepping out from the stacks.

"You know him?" Giles asked.

"We…we were…we traveled together," Angel managed. "He's as vicious as any vampire I've ever met. If you give him an opportunity, he will kill you."

"I fought the Master," Buffy said. "He looked a lot older than Spike."

"The Master was much older," Angel allowed. "Spike is only about a hundred years old. But he has killed at least one Slayer. I was there."

"You were there when…"

"It was before I got my soul back," Angel explained.

"You traveled together," Giles asked, rhetorically. "Typically, only vampire families travel in packs."

Angel looked away.

"Is that true?" Buffy asked, her voice breaking as she spoke.

"We were a family," Angel admitted. "Darla was my sire. I drove a girl insane and then turned her. She was Drusilla. Drusilla sired Spike."

"And you were with him when he…" Buffy couldn't finish.

"We all killed Slayers," Angel said.

Giles eyes glinted in anger. "And you never saw fit to share this information with us?"

"You knew what I was," Angel said.

"What you are," Giles corrected, staring at the vampire. He heard a noise and turned back towards Buffy.

The Slayer had fled the library.

-------------------

Jenny Calendar and Cordelia found Xander sitting in a wheelchair by the television. Beside him was a pale blonde girl. Neither of them gave any indication that they were aware of anything going on around them.

Xander was wearing one of Giles' old sweaters. Xander's parents had not felt the need to provide their son with clothes. The sweater hung off the boy's thin frame.

"Hey," Cordelia said, "I like the new look. You look good in blue. Much better than the day glow stuff you used to wear." She smiled, almost affectionately at the young man she had fought with for so many years.

"It's not the same without you in school. It's boring… I miss you." She took his hand and held it.

And he returned the pressure of her grip.

Cordelia looked at his hand. "Ms. Calendar," she whispered, afraid of startling Xander. "He's holding my hand."

"Are you sure?" Jenny asked.

"Look." She held up her hand, and Xander kept his grip.

The boy blinked, and his eyes seemed to focus on the young girl in front of him. "Cordie?" He asked, as if he didn't trust his vision.

"It's me, Xander," Cordelia said. "I'm here." Jenny ran to find an attendant.

Xander spoke slowly. "I…It's hard to…I can only seem to come out for a few seconds. There was a vampire, he tried to attack her." He glanced at the blonde beside him. "There was blood, so much…" His eyes lost their focus again, and he released Cordelia's hand.

Jenny Calendar was back with the attendant.

"He's gone again," Cordelia said, sadly.

"Are you sure that he was responsive?" the attendant asked.

"Yes, he spoke to me and everything. Does that mean he's getting better?"

"I'm not a doctor," the young lady said, "but in my experience, this is encouraging."

"We need to tell Giles and Buffy," Jenny said.

Cordelia frowned for a moment. "I guess we do."

"But you don't want to?" Jenny asked.

"What happens if she decides to visit him?" Cordelia asked. "Would it hurt him even more?"

"I don't know," Jenny said.

"I know all this isn't her fault," Cordelia said. "But she doesn't get a free pass with me. I don't want to have Xander hurt any more just to ease her conscious."

"But it's good news," Jenny said. "The first she's had in a while."

"Sometimes I hate adults," Cordelia said with a sigh.

"Sometimes I hate teenagers," Jenny replied.

They shared a laugh as they started back to the teacher's car.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_Sorry this one's been a while coming. It took me forever, it seems, to figure out how to deal with the Halloween episode in season 2 in this AU. I hope that the approach I decided on (inspired by Neil Gaiman's Sandman comics) is unique. I don't remember anyone else using this angle before. Let me know what you think - ml_

Parent teacher night started with Buffy and Cordelia setting out the refreshments. Buffy had been encouraged that Xander was getting better, but she still couldn't bring herself to visit him in the hospital. Part of her was afraid that if Xander saw her it would just make it worse for her friend. The rest of her was just scared of what she might see in his eyes.

Joyce had shown up to help as well. She chatted amiably with Cordelia and casually tried some of the lemonade. Buffy turned when she heard her mom choking.

"What's wrong," the blonde Slayer asked.

"Sugar," Joyce managed, "lemonade usually has sugar."

"Oh," Buffy managed. She tried a sip herself and the sour taste puckered her lips.

"I'll go to the grocery store and be right back," Joyce said.

Buffy looked at her mom nervously, "You're carrying what I asked you, right?"

"Yes," Joyce said with a sigh. Stakes and Holy Water were now a permanent fixture in her purse. As she prepared to leave, she came face to face with Sunnydale High's principal.

"Are you Buffy Summers' mother?" Snyder asked.

"Yes," Joyce said, smiling fondly at her daughter.

"I wouldn't be so proud of her if I were you," the short man spat.

"I don't think it's possible for you to be her mother," Joyce replied, evenly.

Snyder flushed with anger. "Your daughter is a disruptive, rule-breaking, delinquent who I will be happy so see thrown out of school sometime this year."

Joyce looked down at Snyder. "My daughter is a strong, intelligent young woman, and if you continue to harass her, I'll see you in court." She looked over at Buffy and Cordelia who were pretending not to listen in. "Now why don't you have a glass of lemonade and calm down," she said sweetly.

Joyce turned on her heel as she saw Snyder reach for the lemonade and walked toward her car. She laughed as she heard the principal spitting out the sour liquid, knowing it wasn't a mature thing to do, but glad that she did it anyway.

Buffy looked on with astonishment at her mom's behavior. And when Snyder downed the lemonade and began spitting like a cobra, the blonde Slayer almost burst trying to hold in her laughter.

That was when Spike decided to crash the meeting. He came in with several minions. Buffy led a group to the safety of one of the classrooms and she saw Giles, Cordelia, and Jenny Calendar heading for the library.

Unfortunately, Buffy ended up with Principal Snyder. He was looking at her as if this were all her fault.

One of the parents asked, "Did you see their faces? They looked deformed."

"It's a gang on PCP," Snyder said. That was the standard Sunnydale rationalization for all demonic activity, and the parent seemed to accept the explanation.

Buffy knew that she had to get weapons to keep this from becoming a slaughter. She hopped on one of the desks and removed a ceiling tile. "Stay here," She warned, ignoring the grumblings from Snyder and the others about why they should listen to her.

She crawled over to the library and dropped in just as Giles was preparing to go out into the hallway. She smiled as she looked at her Watcher, armed with a sword and stake. "I think this is my job," she said.

Giles, Ms. Calendar, and Cordelia were all relieved to see that Buffy was unharmed. The blonde took the weapons from Giles and said, "I'll try to take out the troops, then go after Spike. Giles, when you hear the fight starting, go to the classroom next door. There are parents that you'll need to get out of here. And Snyder. Don't know what you'll want to do with him."

The Watcher nodded. "Perhaps we can send Ms. Calendar and Cordelia out through the stacks to attempt to locate Angel?"

"Couldn't hurt," Buffy agreed. "Since he knew I was stuck here, he was going to patrol around Shady Grove Cemetery."

The two brunettes grabbed stakes and headed out through the stacks. They soon found Angel and Cordelia told them what they knew about the attack.

Janna Calderesh didn't say everything she knew. She had researched Angel extensively before taking this assignment. She knew who Spike was, and that the bleached vampire's presence probably meant that Drucilla, Angel's most dangerous childe, was in the area as well.

After Cordelia finished her explanation, Angel gathered his thoughts for a moment before heading in the direction of the high school. As the trio approached the building, one of Spike's minions came forward from the shadows.

Angel slipped into his true face and smiled at the younger vampire. "I've brought along some snacks for the party," Angel sneered. "Where's Spike?"

Cordelia and Jenny struggled, but were trapped in Angel's grip.

"He's inside."

"Well, if you don't mind, I'll join him," Angel said.

The minion shrugged and turned to walk back to the school. He never saw Angel stake him from behind.

Cordelia was relieved that Angel had only pretended to be evil. To Jenny, this brief glimpse was enough for her to understand how dangerous Angel could be. And how important her mission was to make sure that he never experienced a moment of true happiness.

Joyce Summers had finished her shopping and came in through the back door of the school. As she approached the entrance, she heard the sounds of fighting. She saw her only daughter lying on the ground with a deformed man sneering over her. She dropped the bag of sugar and reached into her purse, drawing out the vial of Holy Water and throwing it at the man; no, the vampire, that was threatening her daughter.

Spike howled in pain as the blessed liquid touched his skin. He fled the school, his few remaining minions following. While Joyce tended to her daughter, Angel and the others arrived.

Buffy quickly got back to her feet. Part of her was embarrassed that she had to be "rescued by her mommy," but she was also proud that Joyce Summers would face a vampire for her.

------------------

Principal Snyder was not in a good mood. First, the parent teacher night had been, to put it mildly, a spectacular failure. It was so bad that some of the parents actually seemed to doubt the "gangs on PCP" story. His ability to intimidate Buffy Summers was reduced now that her mother had tacitly approved her behavior. And to top it off, he had almost been killed by vampires.

But he had something to look forward to. Tomorrow was Halloween. And there was nothing like forcing responsibility on youthful reprobates to brighten his day. He had already forced Buffy to play escort to a squadron of future Sunnydale delinquents. Now he was looking forward to forcing more "volunteers."

Principal Snyder saw Cordelia Chase walking down the hall with Ms. Calendar. He interrupted them, saying to the cheerleader "You will be volunteering for the youth Halloween event." It was not a question. He held out a pen for her to sign up.

"I'm sure that Cordelia would be happy to volunteer," Ms. Calendar said, smoothly. "However, she is already volunteering at the hospital that night. I'm sure that you can find other, worthy youths for the cause."

"What?" Snyder said, disappointed. "Yes…You," he said to Jonathan, who happened to be walking past. "You're volunteering."

Jenny and Cordelia continued walking. "Thanks," Cordelia said to the teacher.

"I think you've already put in enough time dealing with little monsters," Jenny said.

"You know," Cordelia said. "They are having a little party over at the hospital that night. Maybe I will drop by. Maybe a party would be good for Xander."

"You can never tell," Jenny said, not wanting to be negative, but also cautious of raising the cheerleader's expectations.

"Care to come with?" Cordelia asked.

"Maybe for a few minutes." Jenny agreed.

----------------

Ethan Rayne sighed as he removed the boxes from his trunk. He was once again thankful that this errand only required masks and other headgear. He balanced his load and walked the short distance to the desk.

"Are you from the costume shop?" a young lady asked.

"Yes, I'm the owner," Ethan replied smoothly.

At that remark, the lady looked a little more intently at the Englishman. In her mind, the wheels were turning: "English, a little weatherbeaten but attractive. Owns the shop, so he has money. There may be possibilities here." She decided to smile more broadly.

Ethan watched the woman's emotions drift transparently over her empty face, uninhibited by restraint or an actual personality. "Please accept this, with my compliments," he said as he handed her a pair of bunny ears.

"Do I look like a Playboy Bunny to you?" she asked, torn between the flattery of being compared to a sex symbol and the desire to appear above that kind of thing.

"I think this suits you, perfectly," Ethan said, careful not to let the irony creep into his voice. He knew that once the transformation took place, her life span would probably be measured in seconds. Not his problem.

She accepted the gift and put on the ears. "Doctor Game's office is just through those doors," she said.

"Thank you. I hope you have an enchanting holiday," Ethan Rayne said as he looked upon the woman for the last time.

"It's all about balance," Ethan mused as he resumed his errand. Janus, the two-faced god, was a symbol for balance. Therefore, if you are looking to achieve maximum chaos in one area, you have to counteract that by bringing balance in another. By bringing order and sanity to minds of the afflicted, Ethan could increase the chaos created to Sunnydale at large.

He knocked on the door to the Doctor's office and entered, finding a thin, dark haired man in the room. "Dr Game, I presume?"

"Ned," please," the medic replied. "Thank you so much for doing this. We find that it really helps both the patients and their families to have things like this to break the pattern."

"Believe me," Ethan said, "the pleasure is mine. I have a variety of masks. I hope your patients will enjoy them."

The two men went through the wards. All of the masks had benign or positive personalities. Ethan gave Smurf and anime masks to most of the children and teens. Finally, they came to the area that housed Xander and the other unresponsive patients.

Ethan looked at Xander and Tara. As a chaos magi, he was well-versed in magic. He could tell that dark forces had deeply wounded both teens. He looked at his few remaining masks and doubted that any of them could reach the youngsters.

The doctor was asked to help with one of the other patients. Ethan reached into his coat pocket and drew out a small, white feather. He placed it behind Tara's ear. From another pocket, he took out a grease pencil. He lifted Xander's drooping bangs from his forehead and drew an ancient symbol. He then put a top hat on Xander and a small tiara on Tara's head.

"I wish you both the best, my lambs," he whispered.

----------------

Cordelia showed up at Jenny Calendar's house in a cat leotard that clung to her every curve. The young teacher, dressed slightly more modestly, as a gypsy. "What do you have in the bag?" Jenny asked her student.

"I went by Willow's place and got some photos of Xander. I thought that seeing them might help him remember happier times." She shrugged. "I don't know if it'll help…"

"We can try it and see how he reacts," Jenny said. "It's a good idea, regardless."

Cordelia smiled. She regarded Ms. Calendar for a moment. "I, I wanted to say thanks for your help." She bit her lower lip, nervously. "I know I haven't been the best…"

Jenny cut off her student. "I've never been more proud of a student. You've always been poised and intelligent. But how you've handled the situation with Xander and put aside your anger at Buffy…Well, I know I couldn't have done that at your age. I'm not sure that I could now."

The two linked arms as they walked to Cordelia's car. They arrived at the hospital long after Ethan Rayne had left. They saw Xander, seated by Tara in his wheelchair. At that moment, at a costume shop not far away, Ethan Rayne completed his sacrament to the god Janus and said, "It's Showtime!"

A light suddenly sprang from the blonde girl. Tara rose and looked around the room. White wings had sprung from her back and her hair and feather's glowed like the sun.

Cordelia and Jenny were face-to-face with an angel. The angel felt a presence near her. The boy who was Xander was now standing as well.

"What are you doing here, firstborn?" The former Tara asked.

"I do not know," the boy said. "I was in Lebanon, just moments ago. Now I am here. My body feels strange, as it has not since the world was new."

"What happened to you?" Jenny Calendar asked, trying to keep the quiver from her voice.

Tara smiled at the two women, calming them immediately. "Call me Sara. I mean you no harm. This," she said pointing to Xander, "is the spirit of Cain; firstborn and deathless, fated to wander for eternity."

"But he's my friend, Xander," Cordelia protested.

Tara gazed at Cain again. "I sense his presence as well. I do not understand what has happened. There is a presence within me as well. Both are young, both wounded. What is your opinion, firstborn?"

"This is Cain, like Bible, killed my brother, sorry about that, Cain?" Cordelia asked. "Why are you asking his opinion and not, like, smiting him or something."

"It is not my place to judge him," Sara said with an enigmatic smile. "He has walked this earth for millennia. Woe be unto those who harm him. He has seen more of it than I. It would be folly to ignore his opinion."

Cain considered the situation. "It feels like a spell…Probably to one of the old gods. I think, perhaps, we were meant to help our young charges."

"How could you help Xander," Cordelia asked.

"Your friend's mind was overcome by the evil it had witnessed. He couldn't take the loss of his friends. He felt there was nothing left to make his life worth living, so he retreated into himself. I did that almost a million years ago. I know what he's feeling.

"And how will you help Tara?" Jenny asked Sara.

"Tara has faced betrayal from her family. I will show her how to forgive and move on."

"So this is a good thing, right?" Cordelia asked.

"It is not for me to judge," Sara said.

"Right, you said that," Cordelia said. However she sensed sadness in the angel's face.

----------------

At that moment, a confused young girl in a noblewoman's dress came upon the figure of a young man. She had been chased by demons, assaulted by a pirate, and almost caught by a blonde vampire. Alone and confused, she cried in the arms of a man who claimed to know her. Who claimed to love her.

Angel took Buffy home. The fear and loneliness in her eyes touched his soul. He took it away from her the only way he knew how, and found a moment of true happiness.

In that instant, the soul of Angel deserted his body. The demon Angelus was unrestrained once more.

_That's it for now. Next up, Angelus meets Spike and Dru. Xander talks to Buffy. If you guys have a preferred direction for this story, let me know_ - ml


	6. Chapter 6

_Thanks for all the feedback on this fic. This installment took a while. Not the easiest story for me to write, sorry. I'm trying to alternate updating each of my active fics while sketching out a little epilogue for Higher Education and Abandoned Buildings (a story that won't seem to die). Hope to be back to this one soon. If there's a direction you'd like to see this one go, let me know. As always, I would love to hear what you think_ - ml

Chapter 6

Cordelia and Jenny Calendar stood facing the transformed Xander and Tara. Xander now shared his body with the spirit of Cain and Tara had been transformed into an angel, Sara. It was at this point that Jenny noticed the transformations the other patients and doctors had undergone.

The patient that had been called, "the little drummer boy" was now seated at a full drum kit. He expertly played, reminding Jenny more than a little of the performances of Keith Moon she had seen on tapes as a kid.

Another patient was writing complex mathematical equations on the side of the wall, his hair wild, he explained the formulae with a German accent to a doctor who had been transformed into Batman. A rabbit (formerly a receptionist) went racing through the room, two dogs in full pursuit.

Cordelia's eyes went back to the face of the newly formed angel. "Your skin is so lovely," she said, softly.

Sara/Tara smiled at her, and Cordelia's feeling of peace intensified. "I feel almost guilty looking at you, like I don't deserve it."

Sara/Tara replied, "You have great potential for good. I see what you will sacrifice and what you will achieve. When the time comes, you will not be out of place among my brethren." She took extended her hand and touched Cordelia's cheek.

Jenny Calendar looked on this scene. Part of her felt jealous of the attention the angel showed to Cordelia, but an even greater feeling was inadequacy. She knew the things she had done; the lies she had told. She was afraid of the angel's silent judgment.

Cain/Xander heard noises outside the room. He turned to Jenny and said, "We need to gather everyone. This magic has affected others in Sunnydale. Demons, devils, and monsters are walking tonight. It won't be safe to let people wander."

"What good would it do?" Jenny asked. "We don't have any power."

"I wouldn't say that, exactly," Cain said with an evil smile that Cordelia thought looked entirely out of place on Xander's face.

------------

Spike sat in his lair, still nursing his injuries. In spite of the fact her lacked a reflection, he was vain about his appearance. Until his face was healed, he did not want to be seen. He had been fed by his minions. In the meantime, he researched ways to heal Drusilla.

He was glad that this was Halloween. Since it was traditional that his kind was quiet that night, he felt he wasn't really missing anything.

Drusilla came into his room. As always, the bleached vampire was taken by the grace with which his love moved. Even in her condition, she didn't walk, she floated.

"Inside has become outside…" Dru cooed. "Strong magics are surrounding us."

"What do you mean, Dru," Spike asked, patiently. He was never sure when his dear one was lucid and when she was merely ranting. Even after all these years, she was a mystery. It was one reason he had stayed with his sire, even when she was wounded.

"Strange days, strange indeed... The stars are weeping… Angels and devils….Souls are departing tonight."

"But it's Halloween, Dru," Spike said. "Nothing happens on Halloween."

"Something happened," Drusilla replied, shaking. Spike couldn't tell if it was with delight or fear. "Daddy's home…He's a cold, cruel daddy. We must join him."

------------

Angel looked at the body of his lover. During their joining, he had experienced a moment of complete happiness, nullifying the effects of his curse. Fully restored to his position of power, the demon Angelus was ready to finally quench his thirst again.

As he let his true face show, the sleeping girl awoke. Looking at his demonic visage, she screamed in blind terror.

This gave Angelus pause. The face was Buffy, but the mind belonged to another. It wasn't the girl for whom he had betrayed his kind; the one that had made him into a simpering do-gooder. Angelus hated Buffy more than the stupid gypsy girl whose death had initially caused the curse to be cast.

Killing her now would be a shallow victory. With no powers and no understanding of what she had unleashed, she would die quickly and without shame.

But what if the spell that had robbed Buffy of her memories was temporary? If Buffy was back to normal in the morning? If he killed her now he might lose the opportunity to truly relish her suffering. If she regained her memories, he could take out everyone and everything that mattered to her. He could transform her into a monster that even Drusilla would fear.

"No, this is just too easy," he said as he leered at the cringing girl.

Angelus grabbed Buffy and bit her. He forced himself to stop after just a taste, then tossed the screaming girl into the bathroom and pushed furniture against it. He walked downstairs and spit Buffy's blood onto the door. In doing so, he marked this as his victim. It was a warning that if any demon entered this dwelling, Angelus would seek vengeance. He knew the first person he wanted to kill. With an evil grin, the vampire walked into the night, heedless of the suffering around him.

------------

Giles was quietly researching in the library. He was taking the time on the one night demons were supposed to lie dormant to review Watcher diaries. While he doubted any previous Watcher had endured a charge like Buffy, he was looking for anything that might be useful in helping her out of the depression that had claimed her. The loss of Willow and Xander's descent into a comatose state had left Buffy with few friends. The former cheerleader needed people around her, Giles was certain of that. He had to stop her descent, but he had no idea about how to proceed.

The Watcher's journals had been of no help. In his desperation, he had looked at several psychology journals. After three articles of non-scholarship, he muttered, "This drivel would be just as appropriate to watch an episode of Oprah."

"Perhaps I should talk to those closest to Buffy," he mused. "Perhaps Joyce or Angel…Cordelia had been very helpful recently."

As the Watcher pondered the situation, he saw a familiar person enter the library. Puzzled, he asked, "What are you doing here this evening? I was just thinking of you."

------------

Cain/Xander looked at the door that led outside. "We are about to be visited," he said. "Prepare yourselves." He looked around and grabbed a fire extinguisher.

Suddenly, the door splintered. Cordelia recognized Larry dressed in a pirate costume, as well as three members of the basketball team that were now vampires and zombies.

The athletes in monster gear looked on the face of the angel. Sara/Tara glowed even more brightly and Cordelia watched in mute horror as the demon-clad teens burst into flames. Larry halted his advance, shocked at what had happened. Cain/Xander shoved the fire extinguisher into the pirate's gut and then swung the metallic canister hard against the jock's face, sending him spiraling to the ground.

Sara/Tara's face grew solemn. "A great tragedy has occurred tonight. I must go."

Cordelia said, "But we need you…Demons are outside." She pointed at the ruined door.

The angel replied, "I am leaving you with Cain. You are in no danger."

"He's a guy with a fire extinguisher," Cordelia said.

"He is Cain. He will protect you." With that the angel walked through the door. Cordelia followed her outside and watched as she took flight.

------------

Giles looked on the face of his visitor. Something seemed different, wrong. "What happened?" he asked.

Hesitantly, a reply came, "I'm looking for Buffy. I was out, at a party," Joyce Summers said, "some of the guests…I don't know how else to say it…They turned into their costumes, somehow."

Giles looked disbelievingly at the blonde woman. She was in a cowgirl costume. "I haven't seen Buffy, I'm sorry. I don't understand. Do you feel any different?"

"No," Joyce admitted. "But I saw a man turn into Frankenstein's monster and a lady turn into a devil. Come outside if you don't believe me."

At that moment, Jonathan, one of the students in the high school walked into the library. He was dressed as Mr. Spock from the Star Trek television series. He had the pointed ears and the greenish tint of the character. "Mr. Giles, I presume," the teen said to the librarian.

"Why, yes," Giles said, hesitantly. "And you are…?"

"I am called Spock. I appear to have been transformed by a most illogical set of circumstances. I have managed to access the memories inherent in my host body by means of the Vulcan mind meld. Based on the memories of Jonathan, I deemed you to be the most logical person with which to speak."

"Why, thank you," Giles said. "This is Ms. Summers."

"A pleasure," Spock/Jonathan replied. "You are Buffy's mother. That explains your presence here. Your daughter is often in the library after normal school hours. I have seen her when I was researching astronomy."

"Can you tell us anything about your transformation?" Giles asked.

"My host purchased a costume from a shop called, Ethan's. Since the costume was based on the Spock character, and since Jonathan became the character, it is logical to assume that there is some connection."

Giles' face fell. "Did you say Ethan?"

"Yes," Spock/Jonathan said. "My host met the proprietor. He spoke with an English accent. Do you have some familiarity with him?"

"I fear that I may. If you will excuse me…"

"I would suggest that attempting to reach his shop alone would be inherently hazardous, given my experiences."

Giles sighed. He would thrash Ethan for this. He moved to his office and removed a sword and two staffs. "Lead me to his shop."

Spock/Jonathan raised an eyebrow but remained silent as Joyce took a staff and turned to the transformed teen and said, "Let's go."

The trio left the library.

------------

Cordelia watched in amazement as Cain/Xander dispatched another threat. He fought with grace and precision. He had traded the fire extinguisher for a pitchfork after knocking a devil unconscious.

The angel had been right, none of the demons had even landed a blow against the ancient man who wore her old enemy's face. Still, Cordelia breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Buffy's boyfriend Angel arrive. She noticed Angel's shocked observation of the proceedings and walked toward him. "It's a Halloween thing. Most of these monsters are kids. Where's Buffy?"

"I haven't seen Buffy all evening," Angelus replied with a sneer.

"Leave it to Buffy to be elsewhere when trouble comes around," Cordelia groaned.

Jenny Calendar looked at the vampire's face, slightly uneasy. Something felt wrong, but with all of the confusion in the area, it was hard to know where the feeling was coming from.

A werewolf rushed into the courtyard, and Cordelia instinctively pulled close to Angelus. The demon was given an up close view of the teen's cleavage and, distracted, allowed his true face to show. He pulled himself back. This wasn't the one he wanted. His first choice was the catatonic boy. The boy whose descent into madness filled Buffy with guilt. The boy who had been a thorn in his side since they first met.

The boy who was beating the tar out of the werewolf armed only with a pitchfork.

Jenny Calendar had seen Angel's demonic aspect in that brief moment when his control was lost. She focused on the demon and could not sense his soul's presence. She ran up to Cordelia and pulled her away from Angelus.

"Cain!" Jenny screamed. "He's dangerous!"

Having dispatched with the werewolf, Cain/Xander turned to the man. "Greetings vampire."

Angelus laughed allowing his true face to reappear. "I see that you're up and around. Too bad. I was looking forward to presenting the Slayer with an unblemished corpse. Now it's going to be bloody. Well, bloody to a small extent."

"What's going on?" Cordelia asked. "Why is Angel a vampire?"

"Angel was always a vampire," Jenny said. "He was cursed with a soul, but that's no longer a problem, is it Angelus?"

------------

Sara/Tara came to rest at the Summer's front door. A grimace came across her lovely face as she saw the blood spat on the doorstep. She walked into the house, sensing the troubled form at the top of the stairs. With a gesture, the furniture was removed from the bathroom door. The angel saw Buffy, dressed as a seventeenth century lady, cowering in the corner.

The transformed Slayer saw the angel's peaceful face and began to calm down. The angel touched the young girl's bruised face and allowed her power to heal the wound. She gathered the blonde into her arms, and her energy filled the wounded girl. She carried Buffy down the stairs and unfurled her wings, going off into the night flying.

"I'm sorry child. There will be no rest for you tonight."

------------

Giles, Joyce, and Mr Spock/Jonathan arrived at the costume shop, Ethan's. As Giles walked inside, he saw the shrine to Janus and turned to hear his old friend say, "Hello, Ripper."

------------

Angelus prepared to attack the young man standing so confidently in front of him. "I think I'll start with the face, maybe take off the ears."

Cain/Xander's eyes darkened, and he faced the vampire. "What happened to you?"

"Little miss perfect was confused. She needed a big strong man, and I was there."

"You slept with Buffy," Jenny Calendar said. It wasn't a question.

"A gentleman never talks of such things," Angelus sneered. "Of course I did." He laughed at his small joke.

"A moment of complete happiness," Jenny said.

Angel's smile wavered. "What do you mean?"

"I was sent here by my tribe to make sure that you never had that moment. I failed."

Cordelia looked at her favorite teacher in shock. "You came here to keep track of Angel? Why didn't you tell us?"

Jenny saw the pain and betrayal on the cheerleader's face. "I was sworn to secrecy."

"You're one of the gypsies," Angel said. "I'll use your intestines to make a belt."

"No you won't," Cain/Xander said.

"You're going to protect her like you did Willow?" Angel asked, amused. "Like you did Buffy?...You're not much of a white knight. Go back to your padded cell."

"You don't know what I can do."

"I know what you didn't do. That's enough. It must eat you up that I got there first."

Cain/Xander didn't flinch. "You're going to die, and I'm going to be there."

"Do you think you can stop me, boy?"

"I don't know," the teen admitted. "But it doesn't matter. Either I kill you or you kill me and face the consequences."

"What do you mean?" Angelus asked, confused.

Xander lifted the hair from his forehead. "Look at the mark." He noted that the vampire's face seemed turned paler than normal. "You know what happens to anyone who harms me, young vampire."

"How…"

Xander didn't let Angelus complete the thought, swinging his pitchfork into the vampire's shoulder, knocking him to the ground. Angelus fled, not willing to risk the consequences until he knew more.

As Angelus fled the hospital, he saw a familiar form in the distance. Standing in the cool night air was his childe, Drusilla. He approached her.

"I come as commanded, Daddy," Drusilla said.

"What the hell do you want?" Spike asked his grand-sire.

------------

Sara/Tara landed at the hospital courtyard with the Slayer in her arms. Just after she landed, a light shimmered around them as Rupert Giles smashed the statue of Janus that had been the focus of the spell.

Buffy looked at the now-human figure of Tara. Suddenly remembering what had happened earlier, the Slayer began to cry.

A male voice behind her said, "Don't worry, Buffy, it'll be alright."

Buffy turned to see Xander Harris, standing in front of her, seemingly healed of his turmoil. "But Giles said…How?"

"I think we all have stories to tell," Cordelia said, glaring at Jenny Calendar. We have to find Giles. I don't want to have to go through this more than once."


	7. Chapter 7

_Yes, I know. It was too long between updates. I promise I'll try really hard not to start another story until I have the ones I'm working on complete. Anyway, here's a bit for this story. It ties up what happens previously and set things up for later. If there's something you'd really like to see in this AU, let me know – ml_

Chapter 7

Angelus, the vampire now freed from his souled existence, looked upon the faces of his two most feared descendents, Spike and Drusilla. "Spike, the acid-washed look suits you," the vampire jeered, making fun of the vampire's holy water-scarred face. He knew that Spike's main feature was his vanity.

His grand-childe rewarded him by turning his face away. This was too easy. Then Angelus looked more closely at the beautiful, chaste lady who he had driven insane and then sired. She had always been his favorite. "What's wrong, Dru?" he asked, noting how frail she appeared.

"The people in Prague. They were nasty. They almost burned Miss Edith."

Angel stormed forward and brutally punched Spike. "You were supposed to protect her, what happened?"

"She wouldn't leave," Spike protested as he jumped up from the ground. "I knew the mob was gathering, but I couldn't get her to understand…She is my sire, my love," Spike said as he tenderly looked at Dru. "She must be obeyed."

"You always were a sad little mama's boy, weren't you, Spiky?"

"I seem to recall more than one occasion where this mama's boy saved your pompous arse, you arrogant prick."

"Most often to clean up messes you made, Billy." Angel taunted.

"Boys, we mustn't fight," Drusilla said in a sing-song voice. "The night is passing. We must find something nice for daddy to eat."

------------

Buffy and Cordelia led the walk to the school. Jenny Calendar walked behind the newly restored Tara and Xander.

Finally Buffy could take it no longer. Se turned to Xander and drew him into a silent hug. After a moment , she said, "I…I'm sorry, Xander. I know what I did to you…What I let happen Willow, is unforgivable."

"Then you don't fully appreciate the meaning of that term," Xander said. "I still possess the memories of the Cain. I know what unforgivable is."

"Cain, like the Superman guy?" Buffy asked, puzzled.

"No, child," Xander answered with a sad smile. "I have all the memories of Cain the firstborn, son of Adam, killer of Abel, my brother."

"What?...How?..."

"Oh come on Buffy," Cordelia snapped. "This isn't beginning journalism. Let's just hurry up and find Giles. The sooner everyone tells what they know," She said, staring pointedly at Miss Calendar, "the happier I'll be."

Xander led Tara to a bathroom while the others proceeded to the library. They found Giles, and surprisingly enough Buffy's mother and Jonathan, sitting around the table.

"So, what brings you here?" Jenny Calendar asked Joyce Summers.

"I was at a costume party that suddenly became entirely too interesting. I thought Mr. Giles might want to know about it," Joyce replied, intentionally ignoring the tone of the computer teacher's question.

"Were you…Uhm, affected by the spell as well," Giles asked.

"Not them," said a voice from the doorway. Giles nearly dropped his glasses at the sight of Xander Harris, walking and lucid.

"My word," Giles said.

"It seems as if the spell that was cast tonight changed me and Tara," Xander said, pointing to the young blonde beside him. "Somehow, I was possessed by a part of the spirit of Cain."

"The Superman guy?" Joyce asked.

"_That must be where she gets it from_," Cordelia mused. "_Too bad Buffy didn't learn to moisturize from her_."

"I believe Xander is referring to the Biblical Cain," Giles said, gently.

"Score one for G-man," Xander said, offering his first smile since his restoration. "Cain is still alive. God sentenced him to roam the earth forever to pay for his crime."

Giles said, "I remember the passage, 'And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand. When thou tillest the ground, it shall not yield to thee her strength, a fugitive and a vagabond shall thou be in the earth."

"You would quote, somewhat imperfectly, the King James Bible," Xander said, shaking his head. "Leave it to the English to make anything sound pompous. I much preferred the original translation." The young man spoke a brief sentence in a language none of the assembled group understood. Seeing the blank reaction, he sighed. "Oh what passes for a classical education."

"So why did Angelus run from you?" Jenny Calendar asked.

"Angelus?" Giles asked.

"Angel lost his soul," Jenny said. "We'll get to that bit." She looked at Buffy, trying to find a way to spare the girl's feelings.

Xander noted the look and answered Jenny's question. "Angelus was raised Catholic in Ireland. He knows that whatever punishment he gives Cain will be repaid upon him sevenfold by God. The last thing a vampire wants is any attention from the Almighty. Besides, he and Cain have met before, and Captain Hair Gel didn't fare well."

"But he's just human," Cordelia said. "How could he fight demons?"

"He's lived for millennia; buried wives, daughters, sons, great-great-grandchildren," recalling the emotions of Cain, Xander slipped into a first person narrative. "For generations I roamed the world in wrath. I have slain dragons, demons, and old gods. I fought alongside Achilles and Heracles. I taught archery to Attila the Hun and horsemanship to Genghis Khan. I reached the new world with Cortez. No one on earth knows more about killing."

"And you still have memories of your possession?" Joyce Summers asked.

"I think that whoever cast the spell wanted to help me for some reason," Xander said. "I still have the experiences of Cain in my mind; still feel the memories of his battles in muscles. His scars are on my arms," he said pointing to his bicep. "I still have his mark on my forehead. Somehow it helps me cope with Willow's…. When she died. It's all that's keeping me sane."

"I-I feel the same way," Tara said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Joyce walked to the shy teen and asked her softly, "Who possessed you, dear?"

"It was an Angel," Tara said, looking at Buffy's mom with unearthly calm. "Her name is Sara. She's the chief angel of healing. She helps restore the mind, body, and spirit. Whoever did this to me…They understood my need."

"Your need?" Joyce asked, grasping the young girl's hands. Buffy felt a twinge of jealousy.

"My mother…She got cancer and died. I can't talk about my father or brother. They did…something to me. I couldn't take it any longer."

"Do you have any other relatives?" Giles asked, knowing that someone needed to be told of the young girl's healing.

"I no longer have any living relatives," Tara replied without emotion.

Joyce hugged the girl. Tara's frowned. "There's a disturbance…. "She looked at Joyce's face. The girl's hands moved to Joyce's temple. "It's small. You have headaches, don't you?"

"Well, I mean everyone does," Joyce replied, uneasy.

Tara closed her eyes and Joyce felt warmth surround her head. The others saw a flash of light. "You won't. Not any longer. You're healed."

"What did you do to her?" Buffy demanded.

"She had a tumor," Tara said. "It was small, slow-growing. Now it's gone."

"You've retained Sara's abilities?" Giles asked.

"To a lesser degree," Tara said. "I don't think young Ethan's motives were entirely selfless, but I do believe he wanted me and Xander to benefit from his spell."

"You know about Ethan," Giles observed.

"It is given to me to know many things, Ripper," Tara said with a smile.

"Um, yes. Quite remarkable." Giles clearly wanted to change the subject. "Now what happened to Angel?"

------------

"I'm not sure what happened," Angelus admitted begrudgingly. They had fed and now Spike had led Angelus back to their lair. "Buffy was under the influence of some spell. She was brunette and weak; it was like she was some noblewoman from my childhood. Some guy in a pirate costume had grabbed her. I ran him off and she just kept saying how grateful she was for my rescue. She needed me; for the first time in decades somebody needed me. I took her back to my apartment, and I kissed her. Apparently she really was a noblewoman, they're notorious sluts."

"Don't need to tell me that," Spike added.

"Oh yeah, you were such the smooth talker before Dru took pity on you," Angelus chuckled. "Anyway, she was happy to get out of the dress, and you know I always had a thing for brunettes," he said, looking pointedly at Drusilla.

"Hey," Spike cautioned.

"She was mine first, last, and always Spiky my boy." Drusilla smiled and even in her undead state she almost managed a blush.

"So there we were, together. Suddenly my pathetic, Slayer-loving soul left my body, just as we were finishing."

"So, that took all of…what, thirty seconds?" Spike huffed.

"Another interruption and I'll take ten seconds out of my busy night and kick your ass," Angelus warned.

"Did you kill her, daddy?" Drusilla asked.

"No, no, my pet," Angelus said. "It was too easy. That Slayer led me around by the nose for over a year. She made me weak, pathetic. I'll have my revenge. On her and on that gypsy computer science teacher… But there's plenty of time. Besides, you know how I like to train my children before I turn them." He lightly caressed Drusilla's cheek. "When I'm finished she'll frighten even you." Drusilla shivered in anticipation.

"So, Spike," Angelus turned to his grand-childe, "what are you doing for my Dru?"

Spike took Angelus to a quiet room in his lair. There was one creature sitting at a desk reading an old book. Spike pointed to the silent, bespectacled vampire. "That's Dalton. He's researching the spell to bring the roses back to Dru's cheeks. And he'll find a way…If he knows what's good for him."

The bookish vampire swallowed hard and returned to his work.

Spike shook his head and walked away to find Drusilla.

Angelus stayed behind. "So, you're researching a spell?"

"Yes. It's...it's all very confusing. I think the text is in code. The book was written by du Lac. I remember reading something about crosses that was made by that family…They're supposed to translate mystical texts."

"There's a du Lac Crypt at the Moss Cove Cemetery," Angelus said.

"I'll tell Spike," Dalton said. "Perhaps he would allow me to determine if one of the crosses is hidden there."

"Don't bother Spiky," Angelus said, a little too nicely. "He has other things on his mind. I'll handle it."

"But Spike is my sire. He asked me to keep him informed. He's very impatient." Dalton sputtered.

"And I'm his grand-sire. I'm patient. Sometimes it can take me years to kill someone who disobeys me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir." Dalton said. At that moment, he really wished he was still an accountant.

------------

"And that's the story," Jenny Calendar concluded. "I was sent to keep Angel from experiencing a moment of perfect happiness. I failed. Now Angelus is restored and we are all in danger."

Xander nodded at Jenny's efforts. She had taken responsibility for everything, allowing Buffy the space to accept what had happened between her and Angel. Still, from the looks on the faces of Cordelia, Giles, and Joyce, there would be no forgiveness for the technopagan anytime soon.

"You lied to us," Cordelia said in disgust. "You kept information from us and let us just go around thinking that…"

"Yes it was my fault," Jenny said with remorse. "But you have to understand that my feelings for…for all of you," she said, looking at Giles, "they were genuine. I really do care about you." She turned to Cordelia, who backed away.

Joyce led her daughter out of the library. "So…tonight. How do you feel?"

"It was so scary. It was like my mind was in the background and I couldn't do anything. And the girl who set up shop in my head was so terrified. This guy in a pirate suit hit her, I mean me. Next thing you know Angel was there comforting her. She…I…I mean, I know I wanted him to be the one, you know. I just didn't know what would happen if we…"

Joyce held Buffy and gently rocked her as they sat on the floor in the hallway. "Are you okay, physically?"

"I think so. After we…Angel was so awful. He bit my neck and took some blood; not too much. It was like he marked me. Then he threw me in the bathroom and stacked up furniture to keep me from escaping. That girl Tara, she found me and cured me. It must be like what she did for you."

"She doesn't have any relatives," Joyce noted. "Would it be alright with you if we invited her to stay with us?"

"I think I'd like that," Buffy agreed.

They returned to the library to see the group focusing on Tara and Xander.

Giles was saying, "I'm afraid, Xander, that your parents weren't exactly supportive during your illness."

"Color me surprised," Xander deadpanned. "By the way, I'd use the yellow crayon for that. Don't worry about the folks. I'll have a word with them once I get home. I think things there will calm down quite a bit."

Cordelia didn't like the tone of his voice.

"Don't worry Cordie," Xander said as he saw her expression. "I won't have to hurt them. They are my parents. And I just wanted to say…thanks for, well, everything. I know what you did while I was out of it. It means a lot to me."

Cordelia managed a smile. "Just don't make me have to do it again."

"I'll put that at the top of my 'to do' list," Xander agreed. Number one, get a Doublemeat burger. Number two, make sure that Cordelia never has to be nice to me, ever again."

"Dork," Cordelia said, her smile growing wider. "I'm glad you're back."

"I wouldn't be here if it hadn't been for you," Xander said quietly. "I won't forget that." He turned to the restored blonde beside him. "So, how can we help Tara?"

"She can stay with us," Joyce said.

"Really?" Tara asked shyly.

"Definitely," Buffy agreed. "We talked about it. We have a spare room and everything."

"There is still the matter of her status at the medical facility,' Giles cautioned. "Am I correct, Tara, in assuming that now that you have left your vegetative state that you may face criminal charges with regards to the fate of your father and brother."

"I-I couldn't…"

"That's okay," Jenny said. "You don't need to tell us. I can go online and generate a new identity for Tara. Officially, she could just be listed as missing after last night. You could be Buffy's out of town cousin, just arrived from Oxnard."

For the first time that evening, Giles, Buffy, and Joyce smiled at Jenny Calendar.

"And we could SO do a makeover," Cordelia enthused. Buffy also came forward, leading Tara away. Tara was clearly panicking as Cordelia and Buffy talked about different hair styles they could try on her. When the teens mentioned shopping for boots, Joyce hurried off to join them.

That left Giles, Jenny Calendar, Xander, and the silent Jonathan in the library. "I can take you home, boys," Giles said wearily.

Jonathan nodded. "I live a couple blocks from Xander, thanks."

"Can we talk, Rupert?" Jenny asked.

"Not tonight," Giles sighed. "I think I need some time to understand what has happened."

Xander turned to his computer science teacher. "If it's okay with you, Miss Calendar, do you have a couch or something I could crash on? It's way too late for me to descend on the folks."

Jenny saw that he wanted to talk to her in private. After everything that happened tonight, it would be nice. She smiled and said, "Sure. My place is kind of small, but it's got a couch. I hope you don't snore."

"You'll just have to take your chances," Xander replied.

_That's it for now. Hope this bit was okay - ml_


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